Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the precious oil of the apothecary to become stinking and foaming; so doth a little folly him that is valued for wisdom and honor.
Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly.
2 The heart of a wise man is at his right hand; but the heart of a fool is at his left.
The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand.
3 Yea also, on whatever way the fool walketh, doth he lack proper sense, and he saith to all that he is a fool.
Yea, and the fool when he walketh in the way, whereas be himself is a fool, esteemeth all men fools.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for submissiveness causeth great offences to be avoided.
If the spirit of him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because care will make the greatest sins to cease.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were by an error proceeding from the face of the prince:
6 Folly is set in great high places, and the rich sit in lowness.
A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.
7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants upon the ground.—
I have seen servants upon horses: and princes walking on the ground as servants.
8 He that diggeth a pit will fall into it; and him who breaketh down a fence—a serpent will bite him.
He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Whoso removeth stones will be hurt through them; and he that cleaveth wood will be endangered thereby.
He that removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them.
10 If the iron be blunt, and man do not whet the edge, then must he exert more strength; but the advantage of making it properly sharp is wisdom.
If the iron be blunt, and be not as before, but be made blunt, with much labour it shall be sharpened: and after industry shall follow wisdom.
11 If the serpent do bite because no one uttered a charm, then hath the man that can use his tongue [in charming] no preference.—
If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth [bring] grace; but the lips of a fool will destroy himself.
The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the last that cometh out of his mouth is evil-bringing madness.
The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error.
14 The fool also multiplieth words; [but] a man cannot know what is to be; and what is to be after him, who can tell him?
A fool multiplieth words. A man cannot tell what hath been before him: and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 The toil of the foolish will weary every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.—
The labour of fools shall afflict them that know not bow to go to the city.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is lowminded, and when thy princes eat in the morning!
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and when the princes eat in the morning.
17 Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is noble-spirited, and thy princes eat in proper time, for strengthening, and not for gluttony!—
Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in due season for refreshment, and not for riotousness.
18 Through slothful hands the rafters will sink; and through idleness of the hands the house will become leaky.
By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through.
19 For gay pleasure they prepare a feast, and wine is to make the living joyful; but money procureth all things.
For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money.
20 Even in thy thought thou must not curse a king; and in thy bed-chambers do not curse the rich; for a bird of the air can carry the sound, and that which hath wings can tell the word.
Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said.
